Q3 EPS Estimate for Viking Therapeutics Lifted by Analyst

Key Points

• HC Wainwright raised Viking Therapeutics’ Q3 2026 EPS estimate to a loss of $1.12 per share from a prior estimate of $1.15, while projecting full-year 2026 and 2027 losses of $4.74 and $6.04 per share, respectively.
• Viking’s latest quarterly loss of $1.10 per share was better than analysts’ expected $1.21 loss. Its Phase 3 injectable VK2735 studies are fully enrolled, and an oral VK2735 Phase 3 trial is expected to begin in Q4 2026.
• Analyst sentiment remains moderately bullish, with an average price target of $97.88 and a “Moderate Buy” rating, although the company remains pre-revenue, reported significantly higher research-and-development costs, and registered a $500 million shelf offering that could lead to dilution.

Viking Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:VKTX - Free Report) - Analysts at HC Wainwright lifted their Q3 2026 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for Viking Therapeutics in a research report issued on Thursday, July 30th. HC Wainwright analyst J. Pantginis now anticipates that the biotechnology company will post earnings of ($1.12) per share for the quarter, up from their previous estimate of ($1.15). The consensus estimate for Viking Therapeutics' current full-year earnings is ($4.50) per share. HC Wainwright also issued estimates for Viking Therapeutics' Q4 2026 earnings at ($1.14) EPS, FY2026 earnings at ($4.74) EPS and FY2027 earnings at ($6.04) EPS.

Viking Therapeutics (NASDAQ:VKTX - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The biotechnology company reported ($1.10) EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of ($1.21) by $0.11. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted ($0.58) EPS. The business's quarterly revenue was up .0% compared to the same quarter last year.

Several other equities research analysts have also weighed in on VKTX. Morgan Stanley set a $95.00 price target on Viking Therapeutics in a research report on Thursday, April 30th. BTIG Research restated a "buy" rating and issued a $125.00 price objective on shares of Viking Therapeutics in a report on Friday, May 1st. Weiss Ratings reissued a "sell (d-)" rating on shares of Viking Therapeutics in a research report on Friday, July 17th. Truist Financial started coverage on Viking Therapeutics in a research note on Wednesday, May 27th. They issued a "buy" rating and a $83.00 target price on the stock. Finally, Canaccord Genuity Group upped their price target on shares of Viking Therapeutics from $107.00 to $114.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Thursday. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have issued a Buy rating, one has issued a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $97.88.

Viking Therapeutics Price Performance

Shares of VKTX opened at $31.74 on Monday. Viking Therapeutics has a one year low of $22.96 and a one year high of $43.15. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $34.17 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $32.98. The firm has a market capitalization of $3.70 billion, a PE ratio of -6.81 and a beta of 0.69.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Viking Therapeutics

Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Viking Therapeutics by 58.0% during the 4th quarter. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. now owns 945 shares of the biotechnology company's stock worth $33,000 after acquiring an additional 347 shares during the last quarter. Ballast Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Viking Therapeutics during the 1st quarter worth $33,000. Quattro Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Viking Therapeutics during the fourth quarter valued at $37,000. Fifth Third Bancorp raised its holdings in shares of Viking Therapeutics by 169.2% in the fourth quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 1,077 shares of the biotechnology company's stock valued at $38,000 after acquiring an additional 677 shares in the last quarter. Finally, TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Viking Therapeutics by 250.0% in the fourth quarter. TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. now owns 1,400 shares of the biotechnology company's stock valued at $49,000 after acquiring an additional 1,000 shares in the last quarter. 76.03% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, COO Marianna Mancini sold 18,217 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $33.47, for a total value of $609,722.99. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer directly owned 422,760 shares in the company, valued at $14,149,777.20. The trade was a 4.13% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Also, CFO Greg Zante sold 21,217 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, July 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $33.47, for a total value of $710,132.99. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 212,204 shares of the company's stock, valued at $7,102,467.88. The trade was a 9.09% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. In the last quarter, insiders sold 187,951 shares of company stock worth $6,268,442. Corporate insiders own 5.30% of the company's stock.

Key Viking Therapeutics News

Here are the key news stories impacting Viking Therapeutics this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Viking reported a second-quarter loss of $1.10 per share, better than the $1.21 loss analysts expected. The company also said its Phase 3 VANQUISH 1 and VANQUISH 2 studies of injectable VK2735 are fully enrolled, while a Phase 3 study of oral VK2735 is expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026. VKTX Q2 earnings report
• Positive Sentiment: Management believes oral VK2735 could offer a differentiated option in the obesity market, potentially becoming the first oral dual GLP-1 agonist to reach the market. Investors are also awaiting maintenance-dosing data and additional clinical updates. VK2735 obesity pipeline update
• Positive Sentiment: Viking ended the quarter with approximately $502 million in cash and equivalents, providing funding for ongoing development. Canaccord Genuity also raised its price target from $107 to $114 and maintained a Buy rating. Canaccord price-target update
• Neutral Sentiment: The company registered a $500 million shelf offering. The financing would support VK2735 development and potential commercialization, but it also creates the possibility of share issuance and dilution. VKTX shelf registration article
• Negative Sentiment: Viking’s second-quarter net loss widened to $128.1 million from $0.58 per share a year earlier, driven by sharply higher R&D spending as its clinical pipeline expands. The company remains pre-revenue, leaving the stock dependent on future trial results and regulatory progress. Viking Q2 net-loss article
• Negative Sentiment: CEO Brian Lian, CFO Greg Zante and COO Marianna Mancini sold shares totaling roughly $6.3 million, although the filings said the transactions covered tax withholding from vested equity awards. The sales may nevertheless add short-term pressure. VKTX insider-sales report

Viking Therapeutics Company Profile

Viking Therapeutics, Inc is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel therapies for metabolic and endocrine disorders. Headquartered in San Diego, California, the company's pipeline leverages small-molecule approaches to target hormone signaling pathways implicated in conditions such as non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes and muscle wasting disorders.

The company's lead programs include VK2809, a thyroid hormone receptor‐beta agonist designed to reduce liver fat and improve lipid profiles in patients with NASH and dyslipidemia, and VK5211, a selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM) aimed at enhancing muscle mass and function in individuals with muscle wasting conditions.

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